The Kanniyakumari Lok Sabha constituency includes six meeting segments — Kanniyakumari, Nagercoil, Colachal, Padmanabhapuram, Vilavancode, Killiyoor. The present MP is Vijay Vasanth of the Indian Nationwide Congress who was elected within the 2021 by-poll. He was preceded by H Vasanthakumar of the Congress. Kanniyakumari will vote within the first part of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 on April 19 and outcomes might be out on June 4.
Voting Elements
Stronghold of Nationwide Events: Kanniyakumari has at all times been the stronghold of nationwide events as Congress and BJP maintain extra sway right here than the DMK and its Dravidian politics. Former chief minister and DMK president M Karunanidhi was famend for his assertion: “Nellai enadhu ellai; Kumari enadhu thollai”, which interprets to “Tirunelveli is my restrict, and Kanyakumari is my bother”. This phrase highlighted the wrestle Dravidian events encountered in making inroads into areas dominated by nationwide events.Faith Dominates Caste: Faith is a stronger issue than caste in Kanniyakumari elections. The constituency has a big Christian inhabitants (together with Hindus), and events usually marketing campaign primarily based on non secular affiliations. The Nadar neighborhood, a Hindu group with a sizeable presence in Kanniyakumari, has its personal historical past of combating towards social discrimination. This has led to a give attention to broader social points over caste-based politics.Congress Stronghold: Kanniyakumari has historically been a Congress bastion within the state of Tamil Nadu, however in the previous couple of a long time, the BJP has made deep inroads within the constituency. That is owed primarily to the polarisation of Hindu votes, the BJP’s push for improvement and in style BJP chief P Radhakrishnan. The incumbent Congress candidate, Vijay Vasant, is confronting vital anti-incumbency sentiment on account of his failure to fulfil a number of election pledges. His MPLADS funds stay largely underutilised with solely about Rs 2 crore spent out of an allocation of Rs 10 crore, based on the MPLADS web site. Nonetheless, his alliance with the DMK may probably bolster his probabilities of securing victory as soon as once more. Curiously, Vasant is reportedly one of many key financiers of the Congress social gathering in Tamil Nadu as he runs his father’s enterprise Vasanth & Co. An actor, he’s additionally the cousin of BJP chief and now Governor Tamilisai Sounderrajan.Modi Magic at Work? PM Modi’s go to to the constituency will play a job in attracting voters. Furthermore, the social gathering’s state management has a dynamic chief in Annamalai who could attraction to the sentiment of voters. In keeping with Annamalai, if a BJP candidate is voted to energy in 2024, he might be granted the place of a Union cupboard minister. BJP is but to announce its candidate. However Pon Radhakrishnan stays a preferred determine. He was a minister in Vajpayee cupboard and likewise served because the Minister of State within the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Delivery between Could 2014 and Could 2019. Known as “Ponnar” within the constituency, the chief is thought for improvement work. Throughout Vajpayee’s tenure, the four-lane bypass to Kanniyakumari was constructed below his auspices. Moreover, Parvathipuram and Marthandam bridges had been additionally erected below Ponnar’s management. It’s value noting that Pon Radhakrishnan successfully utilised his whole allocation of Members of Parliament Native Space Growth (MPLADS) Scheme funds, amounting to roughly Rs 25 crore, all through his tenure from 2014 to 2019. Distinction this with incumbent MP Vijay Vasanth, whose MPLADS funds stay under-utilised.Shifting Loyalties: Vilavancode Congress MLA Vijayadharani has jumped ship to the BJP. In 2021 meeting elections, she had gained the seat with a margin of 28,669 votes. She is pinning hopes on a Lok Sabha ticket from the BJP and will deliver a piece of Congress votes along with her. She had give up the Congress because the excessive command didn’t heed to her calls for for a ticket within the Lok Sabha election.Native Join: Within the final city native physique polls within the state, DMK had gained the majority of the seats. However a lot of the BJP’s victories got here from Kanniyakumari. Half of the company seats that it gained are on this district alone. Equally, 168 of the 230 seats it gained on the town panchayats had been additionally in Kanniyakumari.
Voter Demographics:
● Complete variety of voters (2019): 1493509
● City: 1,230,651 (82.4%)
● Rural: 262,858 (17.6%)
● Literacy charge: 82.8%
Voters by Caste (Approximate):
● SC: 59,740 (4%)
● ST: 5,974 (0.4%)
Voters by Faith (2011 Census):
● Muslim: 4.2%
● Christian: 46.85%
● Hindu: 50%
Key Constituency Points
Non secular Polarisation: Current elections have seen an increase in communal polarisation, with the Hindu majority (51%) and Christian minority (44%) probably influencing voting patterns. Nadar Hindus are a key constituency of the BJP in Kanniyakumari. The constituency additionally has a big Christian inhabitants, primarily from the fishing neighborhood, which has traditionally supported the Congress and its allies. DMK scion Udhayanidhi Stalin’s “eradicate Sanatan” controversy is prone to have some impact within the seat. It has rubbed Hindus of Kanniyakumari the unsuitable method and should drive them away from the INC-DMK alliance, in favour of the BJP. Nonetheless, a consolidation of Christian and Muslim vote can be seen.Fishermen’s points: The presence of Christian fishermen communities alongside the coastal areas has been a significant component influencing the voting patterns. Within the final election, an argument arose that roughly 40,000 to 45,000 fishermen had been intentionally disregarded from the electoral checklist. They asserted that their names had been struck off the voter checklist simply days earlier than polling day. This controversy had additionally served to coalesce help towards Pon Radhakrishnan. Contemplating Kanniyakumari’s giant coastal inhabitants, fishing-related points turn into essential. Fishermen from Kanniyakumari don’t usually go fishing close to Sri Lanka so they don’t face points attributable to Lankan Navy actions. Nonetheless, they’ve confronted points with erratic climate and many others. Throughout Cyclone Okhi and the 2018 Kerala Floods, Kanniyakumari was additionally badly hit. Fishermen have been in search of a everlasting helicopter pad to assist with rescue of fishermen throughout disasters and accidents in excessive seas.Port Terminal at Colachel: A proposed transhipment container terminal on the historic Colachel Port has drawn extreme criticism from the native inhabitants. They allege the power will affect their livelihoods and the surroundings. Fishermen feared displacement and disruption to their fishing areas. This was a significant component that led to Pon Radhakrishnan’s defeat in 2019.Unlawful quarrying: A number of complaints have arisen about unlawful quarrying within the area. In Kanniyakumari, unlawful quarrying operations have been underway with the collusion of officers, based on a petitioner within the Madras Excessive Courtroom. In February this 12 months, the excessive court docket sought an in depth report from the district collector, contemplating the seriousness of the matter. The operations have lowered the standard of lifetime of residents residing within the neighborhood of the quarrying websites. BJP chief Annamalai has alleged that state minister Mano Thangaraj is concerned in smuggling of ore from Tamil Nadu to Kerala.Rights of Plantation Employees: Kanniyakumari has an excellent variety of rubber and cashew plantations on its western border and plantation employees, too, face issues with respect to wages and lack of services. The value of rubber is of specific concern.Separate Faith Demand: BJP’s sole constituency in Kanniyakumari— the Nadar Hindus — comply with the Ayya Vazhi sect of Hinduism. They’re now posing a brand new demand of autonomy. The state authorities’s Hindu Non secular and Charitable Endowments Division has taken over administration of the most important Ayya Vazhi temple at Swamithope, angering followers. Balaprajabathi Adigalar, Ayya Vazhi’s current head, has now demanded that Ayya Vazhi be recognised as a ‘separate faith’ in order that it doesn’t come below the state authorities’s management.Id Politics: Pon Radhakrishnan had earlier stirred controversy by referring to Tamil individuals as “ungrateful” for failing to acknowledge PM Modi’s reward for the Tamil language. Later, he retracted, stating that he didn’t label all Tamils as ungrateful, however solely these concerned in politicising the language. The 2019 controversy could also be raked up once more towards him this time.Infrastructure Developments
Enhanced Connectivity: In depth roads have come up connecting Kanniyakumari to Kerala which have helped in selling commerce and journey between the 2 areas. Pon Radhakrishnan is credited with pushing by means of the four-lane bypass. Though inaugurated throughout Vajpayee’s time, the work was accomplished solely below Modi authorities. It has improved visitors stream and lowered congestion. After years of delay, development on the Karode-Kanniyakumari bypass has lastly resumed. As soon as completed, it’s going to ease congestion on the Karamana-Kanniyakumari stretch, decreasing journey time from Thiruvananthapuram to Kanniyakumari to lower than an hour and a half. The mission’s completion will significantly profit the hundreds of Kerala-bound vacationers who go to Kanniyakumari on day journeys. Radhakrishnan can be credited with constructing of the Parvathipuram and Marthandam bridges. These bridges have improved connectivity and transportation throughout the Kanniyakumari area.Railway: Kanniyakumari railway station is being redeveloped with world-class services. The station will present airport-like services to rail passengers. Southern Railways can be finishing up line doubling within the area alongside the 86-km Thiruvananthapuram-Kanniyakumari railway hall. Vande Bharat trains had been run on a weekly trial foundation from Chennai to Kanniyakumari throughout January 2024 to clear the Pongal vacation rush. Nonetheless, the providers haven’t continued. Kanniyakumari residents have been lengthy demanding a Vande Bharat service to the state capital. A Vande Bharat prepare between Varanasi and Kanniyakumari was flagged off by PM Modi throughout Kashi Tamil Sangamam. This service will profit a lot of pilgrims from Tamil Nadu visiting Kashi.Information DeskThe Information Desk is a crew of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse crucial occasions unfolding in India and overseas. From reside upd…Learn Extra
